Electromagnetic wave food processing system and methods

A food processing system comprising:

• a housing defining a processing channel comprising an electromagnetic wave heating chamber;
• wherein the electromagnetic wave heating chamber is configured to be at least partially filled with a fluid;
• a product conveyor mechanism to convey food products to be processed continuously along a conveyance path passing through the electromagnetic wave heating chamber;
• the conveyance path comprising a serpentine pathway, the serpentine pathway comprising a plurality of hairpin corners wherein a horizontal direction of the conveyance path is reversed and a depth of the conveyance path is increased;
• an electromagnetic wave emitting apparatus configured to emit electromagnetic energy into the serpentine pathway, the electromagnetic wave emitting apparatus comprising one or more electromagnetic wave units;
• wherein the average pressure in the electromagnetic wave heating chamber changes along the path of the conveyor mechanism;
• wherein the orientation of products carried along the conveyance path varies by less than 15 degrees when passing through each hairpin corner.